Schmitt's Jack Smith hearing questioning misfires hours after Axios touts him as 2028 VP pick
An Axios report on Tuesday named Sen. Eric Schmitt a possible 2028 running mate for JD Vance. Hours later, his Senate hearing questioning of Jack Smith went wrong when he confused the Atlanta Hawks with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
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The story, neutrally told
On Tuesday 29 September, Axios reported that Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) was drawing buzz as a possible 2028 running mate for Vice President JD Vance. NewsweekN “grown close to Vice President Vance and is seen as a top prospect to become a potential 2028 running mate.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Washington ExaminerR “is “drawing buzz” as a possible running mate” Read at Washington Examiner ↗ Newsweek quotes the story as saying the vice president views Schmitt, 51, as "trustworthy, intelligent, articulate and a deft political operator"; the Washington Examiner says it was written by Axios CEO Jim VandeHei. NewsweekN “"We hear the VP views Schmitt, 51, as trustworthy, intelligent, articulate and a deft political operator,"” Read at Newsweek ↗ Washington ExaminerR “was notably written not by some autumn intern, but by Axios CEO Jim VandeHei.” Read at Washington Examiner ↗ The same day, at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with former special counsel Jack Smith, Schmitt suggested Smith had been at a Warriors-Hawks game in Atlanta on 3 February 2024, implying contact with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. NewsweekN “a series of text messages from your team that said you were in Atlanta at a Warrior-Hawks game on February 3rd 2024” Read at Newsweek ↗ Washington ExaminerR “Schmitt promised that he would prove communications between Willis and Smith himself.” Read at Washington Examiner ↗
Smith denied it and said he recalled attending a University of Maryland game where Caitlin Clark was playing. NewsweekN “"I recall going to a University of Maryland basketball game where Caitlin Clark was playing right around that time,"” Read at Newsweek ↗ Sen. Amy Klobuchar suggested Schmitt may have confused the Atlanta Hawks with the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, Clark's team at the time. NewsweekN “"Could it then be that University of Iowa is the Hawkeyes?” Read at Newsweek ↗ Newsweek reports footage later showed Smith in the crowd at the Maryland-Iowa game, and that the messages on Schmitt's board did not appear to mention any basketball team. NewsweekN “there is even footage showing Smith in the crowd at the February 3, 2024, Maryland-Iowa game”“The messages on the board did not appear to reference any basketball team or game.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Conservative figures including Sean Hannity and Benny Johnson posted the exchange as evidence Smith had lied, then deleted the posts. NewsweekN “In a now-deleted post on X, presenter Sean Hannity shared the text message moment” Read at Newsweek ↗ Washington ExaminerR “In a since-deleted tweet, Benny Johnson posted” Read at Washington Examiner ↗ The Washington Examiner columnist wrote that she has it on good authority that Vance's team is unhappy with Schmitt's positioning; this is unverified and unattributed by name. Washington ExaminerR “I have it on good authority that Vance’s team is not happy with Schmitt’s shadowjockeying” Read at Washington Examiner ↗ Newsweek said it had asked Schmitt for comment; neither article carries a response from him. NewsweekN “Newsweek has reached out to Schmitt via email for comment.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- News narrative of a rapid reversal: a glowing Axios profile followed within hours by a viral misstep in the Smith hearing.
- Emphasis
- The sequence of the hearing, Klobuchar's Hawks/Hawkeyes point, footage confirming Smith's account, viral clips and deleted posts by conservative commentators.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not discuss Smith's alleged surveillance of Republican lawmakers or any reaction from Vance's team; Schmitt's comment was not yet received.
- Charged language
- “The Implosion of Eric Schmitt”“gotcha”“dirtbag”
- For example
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“Senator Eric Schmitt bounced from "vice-presidential pick" to social media meme” — Newsweek
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Opinion column mocking Schmitt's 'shadow campaign' as self-inflicted, and also criticising the press and Axios for the flattering coverage.
- Emphasis
- Schmitt's ambition and hubris, the press's role, the influencer network's pre-drafted posts, and the claim that real misdeeds by Smith exist (warrantless spying on Republican lawmakers).
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives little on Klobuchar's role or the viral Katie Britt clip; the claim about Smith's spying is stated without supporting detail.
- Charged language
- “puff piece”“died by suicide through hubris”“smug”“eating crow”
- For example
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“Sen. Eric Schmitt’s (R-MO) unsubtle bid for the 2028 vice presidency lasted less than six hours.” — Washington Examiner
What every side reports
- Axios published a story on 29 September describing Schmitt as a possible 2028 running mate for Vance.
- At a Senate Judiciary hearing the same day, Schmitt questioned Jack Smith about a supposed Atlanta Hawks game in February 2024.
- Smith said he had instead attended a Maryland game featuring Caitlin Clark, and the Hawks/Hawkeyes mix-up derailed Schmitt's line of questioning.
- Conservative influencer Benny Johnson posted, then deleted, a claim that Smith had been caught perjuring himself.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the episode damaged Schmitt's standing with Vance
- Centre
- Newsweek does not report any reaction from Vance or his team; it says Schmitt went from 'vice-presidential pick' to social media meme.
- Right
- The Washington Examiner columnist says, without naming a source, that Vance's team is unhappy and that the episode hurt his standing.
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Whether Schmitt's conduct was deliberate self-promotion
- Centre
- Newsweek describes a failed 'gotcha' attempt and does not assign motive.
- Right
- The Examiner calls it a 'campaign stunt' and 'premeditated gimmick' driven by hubris.
Eric Schmitt person
No response from Schmitt is quoted in either article; Newsweek says it asked him for comment. At the hearing he presented the exchange as exposing Smith, and rejected Klobuchar's suggestion, saying she was trying to 'rehabilitate the witness'.
“accusing her of trying to "rehabilitate the witness,"” — Newsweek
Axios organisation
Axios, in a piece the Examiner says was written by CEO Jim VandeHei, described Schmitt as a top prospect for Vance's running mate.
“Axios published a puff piece declaring that the senator” — Washington Examiner
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Mixed Reported account of a viral reversal, largely factual with some mocking colour about the meme and the Britt zoom-in.
Right1 article
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Washington ExaminerR · · Opinion
Eric Schmitt’s shadow campaign for the vice presidency lasted six hours
Critical Opinion piece treating Schmitt's stunt as self-sabotage while faulting the press for hyping him and arguing Smith still merits scrutiny.
- 29 Sep 22:51 First Washington ExaminerR Eric Schmitt’s shadow campaign for the vice presidency lasted six hours Opinion
- 30 Sep 15:41 +16h 50m NewsweekN The Implosion of Eric Schmitt
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.